Every few months, we have a fresh opportunity to think about how
best to focus our efforts in seeking a strong, mandatory Ontarians
with Disabilities Act. With 2001 now underway, we have reached
another such point in time.

Last fall, through all
our efforts, we successfully got the Harris
Government to back off its leaked timetable for ramming through a
weak, ineffective bill between October and December 2000. The goal
of our activities now should be to do whatever we can to convince
the less than 60 Conservative members of the Ontario Legislature of
these things: The barriers we persons with disabilities face are
serious; A strong mandatory ODA is needed to get rid of them; The
public supports our call for this law, not Premier Harris' refusal
to pass one.

Mike Harris calls the
shots in this Government. We want him to be
faced with a strong voice from members of his caucus in support of
a strong, mandatory ODA. It's not Citizenship Minister Helen Johns
we need to spend our time on, but each and every member of the
Conservative caucus.

The timing is just right
for us to concentrate our efforts even
harder on all those Conservative caucus members. The Legislature
is not in session until some time late in March. Until then,
members of the Legislature are all in their home ridings, and in
their local constituancy offices.

We want your ideas on
how ODA supporters can go about doing this.
All ideas are welcomed, including the "tried and true" as well as
new and different strategies. We must emphasize that these should
be ideas which can be used by individuals and organizations in
their own local communities across Ontario. Think of ideas that
can be used by people living in constituancies that have a
Conservative MPP, as well as for people who live in constituancies
that have an MPP from other parties. Remember that it is the
Conservative caucus that we need to press. The Liberal and NDP
caucuses are already supportive.

Send any and all ideas
as soon as possible to lepofsky@echo-on.net
Ask friends and family members for ideas too. We will distribute
a new action kit based on feedback we receive. To see example of
strategies we have used in the past, visit our web site at
http://www.odacommittee.net